Monday, December 1, 2014

Creative Chaos!

 I BOUGHT a quilt!!  This is from Jo's Country Junction.  Jo was DE-stashing, and I was lucky enough to purchase this quilt from her.  Jo is moving to her dream house that she and her husband have been working hard on all year.  All I know about the quilt is that is it from Iowa. It is hand cross stitched, and hand quilted. The binding is one inch wide.  It is incredible!!  Please see Jo's blog HERE.
 It is a large quilt too.  Can't you see this in applique???  It is soft and just a very pretty quilt.  Can you quilt experts tell me how old it is?  Is it a kit quilt??
 I have been playing in the smallest scraps.  These are crumbs, and the smallest pieces of fabric I have.  I keep them all in an old pretzel tin, and love to sort through them and use them all up.
 After several different designs, I am sticking with this.  The cornerstones were made a long time ago, for another project, but they did not get used. I just love scraps!!  Do you throw them away, or do you hoard them and love them and use them???  NO right answer here, I just think I may be a little bit nutty for them, LOL!!  Are you too??  Hee!
And plaids!!  My friend Chantal sent these to me...They are soft and just yummy pieces of shirts...I am crazy for these too!  Many thanks,  dear friend!!  See her blog HERE.  Chantal makes amazing quilts...beautiful quilts...treat yourself to a visit to her blog.




***********************************************************************

Hey, maybe one of you smart ladies or gents know the answer to this.  I get a comment, and it used to always to my hot mail, and I would answer.  Now the comments don't go there consistently.  What is happening?  Anyone know??

********************************Nurse's notes******************************

I have been floated or cancelled almost every shift I was scheduled for the last few weeks.  I had the opportunity to float to the ICU, where I took care of two multiple sclerosis patients.  Now these neuro muscular disease patients always have a special place in my heart, due to my mother's illness with ALS.  So I was blessed!  Turns out one of these patients is my neighbor...and the other, quite ill and ventilator dependent. I just really loved caring for them...and the best thing?  It was busy!!  BUSY, busy...I loved that, and they want me to come work there full time!  So...I have some soul searching to do...do I go work with the sickest of the sick...or remain in my current job with open heart recovery...which is so slow I can't get any hours!!!? I have been at this cardiac nursing thing for 18 years, in this hospital, and before that six years in another hospital.  Pondering here...thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers about this situation...


*************************************************************************


Have a wonderful day all!!

Julie

30 comments:

Quilter Kathy said...

I have never seen a quilt like that before! Beautiful!
Tough job decision. Maybe you are being lead to another area of practice? Seems like too much of a coincidence that the area you are in doesn't have work for you, and another area that you enjoyed has a job ready for you!

Binsa said...

Beautiful Quilt Julie, a hard decision to make with your job. Sometimes you have to go where the work is..hugs lyn

Lesley said...

The quilt is indeed beautiful! Sounds like you have quite a decision to make about your work. I'm sure whatever you decide will be the right decision for you.

Karen said...

A cross stitch quilt. That took a lot of time to make. Nice purchase.

Mary Ann said...

Come to our hospital- they had to call in the crew for OHs on T-day AND Black Friday- both of which are holidays at our hospital. It looks like we have 2 on Tuesday. How do I know- I'm a Med Tech in Blood Bank and do the Xmatch work up.......

Nancy said...

Let me know if you solve the email/comment issue because I have it, too.

If you listen carefully, your heart will tell you where to work. Patients in both places need you, so it's a win/win. Hugs!

LesQuilts said...

Hi Julie! I say take the full time offer, for at least 6 months, then maybe a line (job) for regular part time or full time might come up in the other unit! Always take FT,work on your pension! I thought I was, but mine has disappeared for various reasons!
Yes, it will be really busy, but the extra dollars will help out and then give you bidding rights on other job postings in the hospital!
Take care, love the quilt too! Great idea!
Leslie

Sherrill said...

Oh my gosh, your mom had ALS?! That must've been SO HARD! I can't imagine having to live with that. A horrible disease. I always hated being floated..had my comfort zone. You would be fantastic up there..might be just the place for you!!

Leeanne said...

Love the purchased quilt! Such a beauty! And you are giving it a good home!

The Tea Lady's Journal said...

Love your cross stitch quilt you purchased. What a treasure! I think it is great that you use up every last bit of fabric; no waste! Hope something perfect works out for your job.

Marlene said...

Lovely quilt Julie. You loved it, they loved you so I would be saying go for it. We do get comfortable in the area we work in and it can be hard to move but I think this opportunity has arisen for a reason so embrace it and say yes.

Diane said...

Where ever you end up, they will be lucky to have you!

Chantal said...

Beautiful Xstitched quilt! Yes, I do see this as an appliqué quilt. Go for it Julie! :D
As for the new job offer I will just say this. Four years ago, I was unemployed and kept thinking somebody somewhere need this brainy / funny / goofy girl that I am, but who? There is a perfect job for me out there but where? You already have found who needs your knowledge, your capable hands and your caring heart. I don't understand all the nurses lingo but I do get that it is a "tougher on the heart strings" kind of job. But, like you said, they want you! Good luck with your decision.

P.S. You're welcome. Glad you like it. ;^)

Donna Keating said...

The cross stitch quilt is so beautifully colorful. Love the scraps too. My favorite. As far as the work decision, maybe it's time for a change. My thoughts are with you as you weigh the pros and cons.

Shepherdess55 said...

Prayers said that you have clear leading regarding staying with your current employment or taking up the new offer.

Lynn Dykstra said...

In my years in neuro we would wonder if something in the disease of ALS made the patients nicer or if nicer people developed the disease. Loved my ALS patients.
As for change--in nursing, change is good. Especially as we move to our later career years.

Lynn Dykstra said...

And, one of my nicest friends was recently diagnosed. The pattern continues.

AnnieO said...

Pretty quilt!
Did you recheck your settings on blogger? Maybe something fell off :)
Your nursing stories are great, hope you go where the work feels right.
I could never make crumbs look as good as you do!

Lori said...

What a lovely quilt purchase!!

I hope you've come to some answer on the nursing situation. Tough life decisions....

Missy Shay said...

What a beautiful quilt! As for the job switch, praying is the right thing to do. It sounds like the new job might be something you would love doing, just from your comments about being blessed. You need to go where the Lord wants ou to go. Do you need the money the new job would give, that could be one way the Lord is talking to you, with God there are no coincidences. But only you and your husband can decide what God's will is for your life.

Janet O. said...

Wow, I thought that quilt was appliqued at first. Lovely find!
I love your scrap creation. It is so very fun. Great use of your bits and pieces! : )
I will share with you my decision making process. Make a list of the pros and cons of the options before you. Weigh them in the balance, make your decision, then pray about it and see if you feel peace about your choice. If not, rethink it and try again.

Flickenstichlerin said...

Beautiful cross-stitch quilt, have no idea how old it could be.
I collect every scrap if it is large enough for 1/4 inch seamallowance.
If you need the hours, go for them, if not, maybe you want to stay where you are now. Hard call, what do you prefer in your very inner self? If someone would make the decision for you, either way, would you be happy or would you hope for someone to decide for one certain way?
Greetings,
Sylvia

KaHolly said...

Quite gorgeous. I'm sure that quilt is happy to be in a loving home. You're scrap quilt is just lovely and so typical you! I save all my scraps, too. If I didn't have scraps, I wouldn't be able to make quilts. Good luck with the decision making process, Julie. There are a lot of factors to consider, but mostly listen to your heart!

Kyle said...

I'm so glad you have a new quilt at your house. It's looks like beautiful workmanship. Can you still see the blue marks for the cross stitch?
Are you ready for a change? Life decisions are always hard, but I'm sure you will come to the right decision.

Ruth said...

The quilt is lovely. I think it's a kit as my Mom made several of these cross stitched quilts in the 50's and 60's. She loved to do it. In fact, I have one that is almost finished with the cross stitching and then needs quilting - when will I ever get around to finishing it? As to scraps, I do save them all unless I can't even get a 1" square out of it. I could probably make a gazillion quilts out of the scraps I have on hand, but could I get them done before I die? I doubt it!

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting said...

I was having problems, early in the summer, with comments not coming to my inbox. I've been a bad/busy girl, and I've not checked in a few months. Hopefully, I'm getting all my comments again. I just get frustrated not being able to reply to no-reply commenters. Pray about the job opening.

Caryl @ cinnamon holiday workshop said...

My thoughts on nursing note....take the work that is regular work if it is something you can learn to love. I hated being floated when I worked in the hospital...and I would not like being told not to come in to work. Wishing you the best dear Julie.

Denise in PA said...

Reading between the lines of your post, it sounds like you really should think about going for the change! And, not just because of more hours, but I can feel the excitement coming through when you talked about the new work. Good luck, Julie!

Siouxzq64@gmail.com said...

I do not know how to determine the age of a quilt, but I have seen a couple of quilts in my wanderings which were cross stitched. Very pretty. I find when I pray that sometimes God gives me an answer, maybe not exactly what I had in mind, but it is always better than what I ever imagined.

Jo said...

Good luck with your job decision. Those are ALWAYS hard. I say follow your heart...your heart will motivate you longer than the money will. Maybe you'll be a lucky one and find your heart and the money are in the same place. GLad you liked the quilt.

Puffins and purples!!

I was tempted by Puffins...a squirrelly breed!!  LOL!  This fabric was shared with me, and I have been loved these bright, candy corn colors...